


Motel Kieran

by PleasePassTheKangarooMate



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Lesbian Lena Luthor, Motel, Slow Burn, Supercorp endgame, small town AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:40:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26065897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PleasePassTheKangarooMate/pseuds/PleasePassTheKangarooMate
Summary: Lena is challenged by Lex to double the profits at Motel Kieran, the Luthor family's least successful business venture. Lena is miserable, stuck in a small town, until she gets to know the young woman running the motel.Cheesy Hallmark movie meets Schitt's Creek -ish.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 86
Kudos: 265





	1. Chapter 1

Everything about the motel in front of her screams mediocrity. Pale yellow paint crumbles from the walls, littering the long forgotten rose bushes with flecks of toxic lead. The vacancy sign flickers, seemingly undecided if guests are welcome or not. White painted lines in the parking lot have long faded and it’s obvious, from just a glance, that the ice box is permanently rusted closed. It looks like somewhere only desperately tired road trippers on a budget would stay.

This is not a place that a billionaire should ever even have to _look_ at, never mind step foot inside. This idea alone is absurd and yet, here she is. Lena Luthor, the youngest member of the richest family in America, stranded in a hole of a town with only five hundred dollars in the back pocket of her designer jeans.

The next time she sees Lex, Lena is going to murder him and place his bald, little head on a pike. Or maybe she’ll just kick him - she really hasn’t decided yet.

Sage colored eyes narrow in disdain. When Lex decided to purchase Catco Worldwide Media, Lena had assumed Lex would allow her to run it, but it turns out he had a different idea in mind altogether. Instead, he decided to test how competent Lena truly is. She has two months to double the profits on their least successful business venture. Then, and only then, will Lex allow her to run Catco.

Motel Kieran was originally bought by her father as a gift for his mistress, Lena’s birth mother. Lillian had tried to sell the place as soon as Lionel died, declaring it a financial drain, but Lex had refused. Lena still can’t work out if his reluctance is birthed from sentiment, or perhaps just sheer joy at another opportunity to spite his mother. It’s probably the former.

Lena curses under her breath and grabs her suitcase from the trunk of her Mercedes, which looks _completely_ out of place in the dingy parking lot. Lena won’t be all that surprised if she wakes up tomorrow to find her car trashed, or missing entirely. Two months, she reminds herself. Just two months and she’ll be back in her penthouse apartment and preparing for her new role at Catco.

She can do this.

The inside of the reception building is outdated, but it’s clean and Lena can smell coffee coming from the back room. Thank goodness for small mercies. The small bell on the counter looks cheap, but it works and the loud trill intensifies her burgeoning headache.

“I’ll be right there!” A voice calls from the back room and Lena sighs softly. It’s not a great start. Yelling from somewhere unseen isn’t usually the best form of customer service and Lena makes a mental note to deal with that in the morning. For right now, all she wants to do is get a room, unpack her scotch, and fall into a coma-like sleep.

“Hey, sorry about that,” a young woman says as she rushes from the back room, a toddler on her hip and a harried expression on her face. “I wasn’t expecting anyone. We don’t get a lot of guests these days.” Lena frowns, losing even more confidence in the young woman’s customer service skills.

“You should never say that to guests,” Lena chastises. “You want to let them think this is a reliable, regularly used service, and you certainly shouldn’t be greeting them with your child.” Lena purses her lips, giving the younger woman a once over with unimpressed eyes.

“Oh.” The woman blinks, floundering for a short moment before recovering quickly and winking at Lena, “well, don’t tell my boss!” Lena smiles wryly, her hand tightening around the handle of her suitcase.

“Too late.” Lena thrusts her hand out to the woman, “I’m Lena Luthor. Samantha Arias, I presume.”

“It’s just Sam,” Sam weakly corrects her, blanching white. Lena can see the internal panic written all over her face and she almost feels bad. Almost. “I didn’t know you were coming,” Sam murmurs, her brow creasing. 

“Clearly,” Lena remarks. “I’ll be here for the next 8 weeks. My family and I are looking to make some changes,” Lena tuts, eyes roaming around the shabby room. “Where is everyone else?” Lena turns her critical gaze back to Sam, eyebrows lifting expectantly. Sam frowns, unable to contain her dry chuckle.

“We’re here alone,” Sam says. “I’m on ‘til 7am, but the manager is usually here around 5. It’s just the 2 of us, so she lets Ruby and I stay in one of the rooms for a decreased rate,” she explains, jiggling the child, Ruby, on her hip. Lena’s eyes narrow, her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach.

“There’s only 2 of you? To run this whole motel?” Lena questions incredulously. 

“Yeah, we sometimes have more, but we have a high turnover of staff,” Sam shrugs. “There’s not a lot of money in the budget, so we make do.” Lena closes her eyes, sighing deeply as she realizes Lex has set her up to fail. He clearly has no intentions of allowing her to run Catco and all of this is just his sadistic way of proving a point.

“Okay,” Lena breathes out. “I’ll need the books and a room,” she states, her tone leaving no room for argument. She’s exhausted and the job ahead of her seems impossible, and the toddler staring at her is kind of creeping her out.

“Oh, you’re stay-staying here?” Sam doesn’t seem to care about hiding her shock. 

“Yes,” Lena nods. “The best way for me to see how this motel is run is for me to act as though as I’m a guest.” Sam gazes at Lena as though she is insane, but reaches behind her to grab a key from the hooks behind her all the same.

“Room 6 should give you some privacy,” Sam says. Lena nods and takes the key from her outstretched hand. “Dial 1 on the phone if you need to reach me, we’ll be here all night,” Sam smiles nervously and hands Lena a brown, leather book.

“Thank you.” Lena nods and turns on her heel, dragging her suitcase behind her as she makes her way outside. She lets out a sigh as soon as the door closes behind her, blinking back furious tears. Lex is screwing her over _again_ and Lena hates herself for trusting him in the first place. She should know better by now.

With a huff, Lena seeks out her room and is glad to see it’s on the bottom floor. Just the mere thought of dragging her suitcase up the rusted stairs makes her want to cry. Her mother had loved this place, and Lena wishes she could have seen it back then, when it was still worthy of that love.

Room 6 is at the end of the bottom row and it looks just as rundown as the rest of the place, but it looks and _smells_ clean, at least. Lena kicks the door closed behind her and abandons her suitcase on the floor. It’s clear that Sam and the manager have made a serious effort to make the hotel hospitable despite the lack of funding from Lex.

Lex. Lena’s blood boils when she thinks of him. Her father leaving the majority of the company shares to Lex in his will had been the ultimate betrayal. Lillian’s doing, no doubt. Lena still feels like her father had made a devastating mistake, but challenging the will would be pointless. She’d lose and just end up even further outside of Lex’s good graces.

Muttering under her breath, Lena opens her suitcase and roots around for her bottle of scotch. She doesn’t bother searching for a glass as she screws the lid off and gulps down a large mouthful. It burns her throat, but at least it’ll take the edge off of Lex’s most recent betrayal.

Lena grabs her laptop and slumps down on the bed, hugging the bottle of scotch close to her chest. There’s no Wi-Fi, because _of course_ there isn’t, and Lena slams her laptop closed after only a few seconds. She tosses it aside and drags the leather bound book closer to her, rolling her eyes at how pedestrian it feels. Lena hasn’t touched physical records since she was a teenager, much preferring to do everything online.

Reading through the books doesn’t make her feel any better about this whole venture. The motel is _bleeding_ money, and Lena isn’t sure they can even afford the 2 staff members that they have. In the past two weeks there have only been three guests, each only staying one night, and it seems inevitable that the motel will go bankrupt. 

Even Sam’s use of room nine, albeit at a reduced rate, doesn’t do anything to help the business. Lena doesn’t even consider raising the price for the room, convinced that a young, presumably single, mother wouldn’t choose to stay here if she had enough money to find someplace better. Lena sighs and grabs the small notebook beside the phone, digging through her purse for a pen.

She sits there for hours, dread settling in the pit of her stomach as she reads through the book and jots down ideas. Lena has no idea if she can turn this place around, but the mere thought of proving Lex wrong motivates her to at least try her damn hardest. Lena works through her plan until one in the morning before she abandons it in favor of her scotch.

Bottle in hand, Lena stares at the walls with pursed lips. Eight weeks doesn’t even feel like enough time to redecorate, let alone encourage visitors to stay here. Her phone beeps with a message from Jack, but she ignores it. She’s in no mood to pretend to be interested in him, and Lena knows Lillian will have something to say about her lack of effort where he is concerned.

He’s nice, sweet actually, but Lena just isn’t attracted to him, and pretending she is just doesn’t seem fair to him. It’s awful, she knows, but Lena is relieved that there’s a large distance between them. Jack doesn’t even know that Lena only agreed to their first date because Lillian had blackmailed Andrea Rojas into leaving her. Heartbroken and lonely, Lena had thrown herself head first into a subpar relationship.

It’s only one of her many, many regrets.

When Lena wakes, it takes her a few seconds to remember where she is. It’s still dark outside and the bottle of scotch is still in her hand, leaking all over the clothes she forgot to change out of. A glance at her phone tells her it’s almost five, and she actively ignores the messages from Jack and Lillian. She’s in no mood for either of them.

Lena forces herself out of bed and digs through her clothes, wishing she had brought more casual clothes with her. Expensive pant suits don’t really vibe with a rundown motel, but the only jeans Lena brought with her are now soaked with scotch. Midvale’s lone shopping mall is the last place she wants to spend her Saturday, but Lena makes a mental note to visit soon.

The water in the shower is surprisingly powerful and warm, and Lena stands under the stream until her skin wrinkles. Her suit hangs on the back of the bathroom door, the steam smoothing out the expensive material. This place may be a hell hole, but Lena Luthor isn’t going to look anything less than impeccable for her first meeting with the manager.

With plump lips stained red and eyeliner expertly applied, Lena gives herself a nod of approval in the mirror. Lena looks good and she’s not ashamed to admit it to herself as she makes her way across the parking lot to the reception. There’s a beat up, old mustang parked opposite her Mercedes and Lena rolls her eyes at the personalized registration plate. 5UP3R.

“Tacky,” she grumbles to herself. The smell of coffee once again hits her as Lena steps into the reception, and it’s an extremely welcome assault on her senses. She can hear people talking in the back room and Lena closes the door loudly, alerting them to her presence. The conversation pauses, and Sam pokes her head out of the room.

“Oh! Miss Luthor, good morning,” Sam greets, her smile forced and not quite reaching her dark eyes. Sam moves around the desk and awkwardly hovers near Lena, “how did you find the room? Did you sleep okay?”

“Fine, thank you,” Lena nods. “The room could be improved, but that’s entirely my family’s fault. May I speak to the manager?” she asks, craning her neck and attempting to catch sight of the other person. Sam falters, unsure of how to act around her aloof boss.

“Kara’s around here somewhere,” Sam stumbles over her words. Lena frowns, an impatient sigh bursting through her nose.

“That’s not who you were just speaking to?” Lena asks, seeing right through Sam’s poor deflection. Sam blushes, and it’s only then that Lena notices how smudged her lipstick is. “Oh, I see.” Disapproval drips from Lena’s tone and she purses her lips. “I’m going to find this _Kara_ and then we can all have a little chat. I expect your visitor to either book a room or be gone by the time I come back,” Lena scolds. “Am I clear?”

“Crystal, Miss Luthor.” Lena didn’t think it was possible, but Sam’s blush deepens. “I’m sorry.”

Lena merely offers her a curt nod before she spins on her heel and marches out of the building, the door slamming closed behind her. She looks around, spotting a cleaning cart outside one of the upstairs rooms. Her brow quirks. Lena’s never heard of a manager who would help with cleaning, but she assumes Kara has been left with no other choice.

Her heels clack obnoxiously on the metal steps, and a blonde woman steps out of the room. She smiles and wipes her hands on a rag before extending one to Lena.

“Hi, I’m Kara Danvers,” Kara introduces herself with a tone that’s too cheerful for six in the morning. “Sam told me you arrived last night, but she wasn’t too clear about _why_ you’re here.”

“Lena Luthor,” Lena replies curtly, shaking Kara’s hand firmly. “My family and I are looking to make some improvements.” Lena’s gaze roams around their dull surroundings. “I wasn’t aware of the motel’s poor condition,” she adds. Kara’s smile falters, her brow crinkling in an adorable fashion.

“Sam and I try our best,” Kara defends them as politely as she can, “but it’s hard,” she admits. Lena sighs, hating that it feels mean to speak her mind to this human version of a puppy. 

“I’m impressed with how you’ve managed it,” Lena appeases. “I don’t believe you’re at fault whatsoever. Frankly, I blame myself for not coming sooner.” It’s a lie. Lena absolutely blames Lex, but she’s not about to admit that to someone she’s just met. “I think you’ve done an admirable job considering how little support you’ve received from us, but that’s about to change.”

“Oh yeah?” Kara _beams_ at the curt praise, her eyes crinkling behind her glasses. A stray, almost offensive, thought floats through Lena’s brain, but she forces it down. Now is not the time to be thinking about how utterly _adorable_ her employee is. “I’d love if you could increase the budget, Sam and I have been _dying_ to spruce the place up. We freshen the paintwork as much as we can, but we can only do so much, ya know?” Kara blushes when she realizes she’s rambling, the tips of her ears turning pink.

“I’m glad that we seem to be in agreement,” Lena notes, nodding curtly. “I’d also like to discuss Miss Arias’ use of room nine,” she adds. Kara reacts instantly, her eyes widening as she steps closer to Lena.

“I can’t ask her to leave,” Kara says. “I know it’s unusual, but she needs…” Kara trails off when Lena holds her hand up.

“I was going to suggest allowing Miss Arias and her child to stay free of charge,” Lena says with raised brows. “It seems unfair that she works long unsociable hours, far more than her contract requires, and then has to pay for a room that isn’t even in use by paying customers.”

“Are you serious?” Kara asks. A smile stretches across her face, her eyes almost forced closed by the sheer size of it. “That would be _incredible_ , Miss Luthor! From what Sam said about you, I was convinced you’d kick her out, but this is so great of you.” Lena’s eyes narrow and Kara’s mouth snaps closed, cringing as she realizes what she said. “I mean, she didn’t say anything ba…”

“Don’t worry about it, Miss Danvers,” Lena cuts her off. “This is business, personal opinions are of no interest to me,” she adds coolly. “My only concern is improving this motel. Perhaps when you’re finished here, we can have a proper conversation about how to improve the motel. I'll wait for you in reception." Lena turns on her heel, stalking back down the steps and leaving a floundering Kara in her wake.

Lena silently fumes. She decides against heading to the reception straight away and marches straight to her room, leaning heavily against the door as soon as it closes behind her. It turns her stomach to think that the first impression she’s given these people is that of an ogre who would kick a young family out.

That’s something her family would do, not Lena, and she loathes herself when she realizes just how much cold Luthor she has within her. It’s exactly what Lex wants, to mold Lena in his image until she’s exactly like the rest of them. 

_That_ is something Lena will not allow. She is _not_ like them, and Lena is going to prove it.


	2. Chapter 2

When Lena makes it back to the reception, Kara and Same are waiting for her with a fresh pot of coffee. Sam’s visitor seems to be long gone and Ruby is nowhere to be seen. Lena is internally relieved that they’ve listened to her - at least  _ someone _ does. A steaming mug is handed to her, an early morning equivalent to an olive branch, and Lena accepts it with a forced, polite smile.

It doesn’t taste  _ quite _ as awful as Lena expects it to, but it’s certainly no match for her expensive coffee machine back home. It’s caffeine, though, and Lena’s body welcomes it with open arms. Lena gives a nod of thanks and cradles her mug close to her chest, her gaze roaming around the reception.

“I thought we could start in here,” Lena states, “and the outside, of course. First impressions are extremely important. We want guests to look at this place and not wish to run away,” she remarks, completely missing the wary glance her employees share. “I’m also going to ensure the budget is expanded enough for a couple of new employees.” Lena allows her eyes to flick towards Sam and Kara. “You will, of course, be a part of the interview process.”

“Thank you.” Kara seems genuinely relieved and it’s understandable. Lena can sympathize with new co-workers joining and screwing up the vibe, Lex did that to her by bringing Morgan Edge on board at LuthorCorp. Having that sleazeball in the next office does nothing for Lena’s daily mood whatsoever.

“I’d also like to sit down with you at some point, Miss Arias. Perhaps we can create a new work schedule for you that fits around your childcare arrangements. While I understand the need to keep your child with you during the evenings, it’s not good for business,” Lena remarks.

“Ruby is  _ extremely _ well behaved. The majority of our guests don’t even know she’s here,” Kara instantly jumps in to defend her friend. Lena swallows a sigh, nodding tiredly.

“Be that as it may, this is a mandatory change,” Lena says firmly. “Miss Arias will receive the required support, but I cannot allow a minor to roam around reception.” Lena realizes how harsh it sounds as soon as it leaves her mouth, but this is one issue that she won’t back down from. Kara opens her mouth to argue, but Sam stops her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“I understand, Miss Luthor,” Sam murmurs. “I appreciate everything you’re doing for us,” she adds, shooting Kara a pointed look.  _ Shut up _ is left unsaid. “If the schedule is changing, then Ruby won’t be an issue,” Sam assures her.

“Good. Then let’s sit down and further discuss the improvements that can be made. These next eight weeks will be challenging, but I’m sure we can do it,” Lena states with a stubborn nod. She has her doubts, but maybe she can speak it into existence. Lena would rather die than return to Metropolis with her tail between her legs.

The back room is cramped, but cozy. The tattered old desk is stacked with paperwork so out of order that it makes Lena wince, and the beat up couch and armchair look well used. Lena’s first instinct is to disapprove of the clutter, and to reprimand them for using the room as a living space, but she swallows it down with her bitter coffee. 

Kara and Sam have been working extraordinarily hard to keep the motel running, so much so that they spend more time here than anywhere else. A little clutter can’t hurt if the guests can’t see it. Lillian would  _ hate _ it, which all of a sudden makes it seem almost charming to Lena.

Lena perches on the armchair and crosses one leg over the other, critically eyeing a door in the corner of the back room. It looks like it has been busted open instead of unlocked with a key and Lena’s curiosity is immediately piqued.

Their chat is short, but oh so awkward. There’s not much any of them can do until the new budget has been approved and, for the first time in her adult life, Lena feels wholly unprepared. Her success is depending on Lex being generous and Lena doesn’t fancy her chances. 

The five hundred in dollars in cash that Lena brought with her is her personal budget for the first month, an  _ annoying _ stipulation of the challenge, but Lex never said anything about limiting the budget for the motel itself. If Lena plays it perfectly, and catches him at the right time, she may be able to get exactly what she wants.

By the time they’re done, it’s time for Sam to leave. Lena vaguely hears her tell Kara that she has time for a few hours sleep before she has to collect Ruby, and she frowns. Guilt settles in the pit of her stomach and Lena vows to find more staff as soon as she physically can. A salary increase is probably in order, too.

“So I guess it’s just you and me, huh?” Kara smiles, awkwardly bouncing on her feet. “I can give you the grand tour,” she suggests. Lena nods, her eyes darting back to the broken door in the corner.

“Perhaps we can start there,” Lena says, gesturing towards the door. “You couldn’t find the key?” Kara chuckles good naturedly, the tips of her ears turning pink.

“We tried every single key we could find,” Kara states, bashfully rubbing the back of her neck. “Eventually the curiosity got the best of me and I just used a crowbar. It’s just a basement with mostly old junk, but you’re of course free to look around.” Kara gestures for Lena to go on ahead, “the light switch is on the right.”

Lena nods curtly and steps forward, wincing when the door opens with an obnoxious squeak. Her hand fumbles against the wall for a moment before finding the switch, a bare bulb dimly flickering to life at the bottom of a staircase. The wooden steps look worn, and definitely unsafe, but Lena’s curiosity is too intense to ignore.

The wood creaks beneath her heels and Lena clings to the damp handrail like a lifeline. She lets out the breath she’d been holding when her feet reaches the concrete, rolling her eyes when Kara bumps into her back.

“Sorry, the stairs kinda freak me out,” Kara winces. “Maybe we can get them fixed,” she suggests. “We could use this place as a break room instead?” Lena purses her lips, her eyes narrowing as she looks around the damp, dingy basement. It’s not the worst idea in the world, but it would cost a small fortune to fix it up.

“We’ll see,” Lena replies non committedly. “We can add it to the never ending list,” she sighs. Lena wanders around the basement, brows knitting together and her arms folding across her chest. Lillian would always scold her for it as a teen, claiming it made Lena look unapproachable and the frowning would cause premature wrinkles. The fact that the habits pissed Lillian off is perhaps why she’s never made much effort to break them.

“I guess we could just throw most of this stuff out,” Kara shrugs, looking around at several boxes of belongings. “I think it’s just crap that the old owner didn’t want to take with them.” Lena’s features harden, causing Kara to hesitate. “I just put my foot in my mouth again, didn’t I?” Kara sighs.

“It seems you are particularly skilled at that,” Lena murmurs dryly. Her features soften when Kara blushes, momentarily feeling a little bad for her. She knows she’s not the easiest person to talk to at times. “My Father bought this motel for my Mother,” Lena says softly. “Her name was Kieran.”

Kara’s eyes close, and Lena watches her internally berate herself.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Luthor,” Kara whispers. “I assumed you… you have the same last name as the…” Kara trails off, wincing as she takes a sudden interest in her sneakers. “I’m sorry,” she sighs.

“You weren’t to know. Lillian is my adopted Mother. It’s not common knowledge,” Lena states calmly. Her gaze lands on the damp cardboard boxes, her heart aching in her chest. She knows so little about her birth Mother and has only a few, hazy memories of her to comfort herself during the lonely nights. “Perhaps I can find you later,” Lena says, longing to be left alone with her Mother’s things.

“Of course,” Kara nods. “I’ll just be upstairs if you need anything.” Lena hums an acknowledgement, but doesn’t look up as Kara heads upstairs. She swallows thickly and lowers herself to her knees, not caring about the filthy floor in the slightest. Lena’s hands tremble as she reaches for the nearest box.

The lid tears off in her hands and Lena throws it aside. There, right at the very top, is a picture of Lena and her Mother. It’s water damaged, but Lena can still make out their smiling faces. She vaguely remembers the day the photograph was taken. Her Father had visited them for the weekend and taken them to a nearby fair.

Lena remembers being enamored with the ferris wheel and had demanded that her Father take a picture to commemorate their third ride of the night. She’d assumed the picture was lost forever when she was taken to live with the rest of the Luthors, with just a small backpack and teddy bear to her name.

Tears flood her eyes and blur her vision as Lena holds the photograph to her chest. She feels a sudden rush of  _ hatred _ boil her blood. Lex had allowed the motel to slowly waste away, the one place her Mother truly found peace and happiness. It’s heartbreaking to see just how far this much loved building has fallen.

Lena tugs her cell phone out of her pocket and angrily stabs her finger against Lex’s name. It rings only twice before he answers, and Lena wishes she could reach through the screen and wring his scrawny little neck.

“Hey sis,” Lex greets, and she can  _ hear _ his smug grin. “I didn’t expect to hear from you until the meeting. How’s it going?” Lena closes her eyes, silently seething.

“How’s it going?” Lena repeats through gritted teeth. “This place is a  _ hole _ and it’s all your fault,” she grinds out. “There are  _ two _ employees, Lex. Two! Are you just deliberately setting me up to fail?” Lena demands. There goes her plan to butter her brother up.

“Lena,” she hears Lex sigh. “Why on Earth would I set you up to fail? You asked for a challenge and I simply gave you one,” Lex says with a soft tsk. “I assumed your…  _ personal _ connection with the motel would provide you with all of the motivation you would need.” Lena blows a puff of air through her nose, her eyebrows knitting together.

“I don’t believe contractors accept  _ motivation _ as payment for their services, Lex,” she snarks. “The budget you approved is, quite frankly, ridiculous. If you want me to double the profits in eight weeks then fine, consider it done, but don’t lose out on a potentially decent investment just to spite me.” Lena smirks to herself, convinced that she’s used the correct argument.

“How much?” Lex sounds pissed, but Lena doesn’t care. She’s over the first hurdle and sure that she can make it to the home stretch.

“I’ll email everything that I need,” Lena says. “The motel needs a lot of work and a salary increase is  _ absolutely _ necessary.” Lena stands firm. It’s the only way Lex will respect her.

“Send me your demands and I’ll sign off on them,” he replies dryly. “But remember, Lena, eight weeks. Not a second more,” Lex warns. “Mother is already missing you.”

“I’m sure,” Lena remarks, rolling her eyes. “I won’t be available for the board meeting this afternoon, but please pass on my regards to the suit wearing relics. If you can even tell them apart,” she drolly adds. Lena hears Lex chuckle down the phone.

“Sure thing, sis. I look forward to your email.” Lex ends the call without saying goodbye, ensuring he has the final word, and Lena grumbles under her breath. She  _ hates _ when he does that.

Lena shoves her cell phone back into her pocket and turns her attention back to the boxes. Her Mother’s whole life, packed away in a damp basement, forgotten about for twenty years. Lena can’t think of anything sadder. She takes her time, working her way through the assortment of clothes and trinkets - things Lena hasn’t seen since she was four years old.

Lena finds a locket and chain at the bottom of the first box, a lump settling in her throat. Her Mother always wore this. Lena remembers playing with it whenever she was in her Mother’s arms, and her fingers tremble as she uses her nail to pick it open. Her Mother smiles back at her, holding a sleeping, baby Lena in her arms.

A stray tear trickles down Lena’s cheek and she hastily swipes it away. Lionel always told Lena that she looked like her Mother, perhaps why he was less cruel to her, and Lena can finally see the resemblance. Identical green eyes that sometimes look blue, and matching sharp jawlines; twins a generation apart.

Lena shakily clips the necklace around her neck, the locket cold against her skin as it rests on her chest - keeping her Mother close to her heart where she belongs. She can hear movement at the top of the staircase and Lena quickly, but carefully, hides the old picture inside her phone case.

“Am I interrupting?” Kara asks as she comes into view, a mug of steaming coffee in each hand. “You sounded a little… growly on the phone,” Kara murmurs with a soft smile. Lena blushes.

“You heard all that?”

“Yeah, I guess this place is a little bit of an echo chamber,” Kara says. She hands Lena a coffee, smiling at the way Lena cradles it against her chest. A habit that she noticed earlier, too. “Did he approve the budget?” Kara asks, watching Lena carefully.

“He did,” Lena sighs. Kara nods, sitting down on the grubby floor near Lena. She stretches her long legs out in front of her and crosses them at the ankles, shooting Lena a kind smile.

“If you don’t mind me saying, you don’t sound all that thrilled about it,” Kara notes. Lena chuckles humorlessly, her lips twisting into a wry smile.

“When it comes to Lex Luthor, there’s always a catch,” Lena says. “I just don’t know what that catch is yet.” Lena sips her coffee, her eyebrows arching with surprise at the taste.

“It’s from my flask,” Kara tells her. “I’m sure you noticed how much the coffee here sucks,” Kara grins. “I always bring a little stash with me for the bad days, and you certainly look like you’re having one.”

“Thank you,” Lena murmurs. She ducks her head shyly, trying to remember the last time someone did something nice for her without having some kind of ulterior motive. Nothing comes to mind. Lena clears her throat, “I guess I should add a new coffee machine to the list of changes.”

“I wouldn’t say no,” Kara grins. She sighs softly and gazes around at the basement, purposely averting her gaze from the boxes. “I used to hang out down here when the Danvers first adopted me,” Kara admits. “Eliza, my adoptive Mother, used to run the place and I guess I kinda fell in love with it.” Lena’s eyebrows lift and she smiles softly. 

“Is that why you stuck around?” Lena asks. “You love the motel too much to find better employers?” 

Kara shakes her head, her features abruptly sobering.

“I worked in the city for a while, but I came home when Eliza’s husband died,” she explains, her voice almost a whisper. “I think she needed me to be around more, and I took over when this place became too much for her. Now, I don’t think I could ever leave,” Kara sighs wistfully. “Maybe you’ll fall in love with this  _ hole _ of a place before the eight weeks are up,” Kara adds. Lena blushes again, but Kara is teasing, not being malicious.

“Maybe,” Lena says, mortified by the way her cheeks burn. There’s so much that she wants to say, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea. She wants to ask about Kara’s birth parents and find out if Eliza knew her Mother, but Lena doesn’t trust her tear ducts to behave.

Lena’s already letting her guard down too quickly, she realizes, and Lillian always taught her to remain aloof around new people. Especially when it’s business. Lena pushes herself to her feet and hands the half-full mug to Kara.

“Thank you for the coffee,” she says stiffly. Kara looks surprised by the sudden change in Lena’s demeanor, but she doesn’t comment on it.

“You’re welcome. I could bring you some more later,” Kara offers, but Lena instantly shakes her head.

“No, that won’t be necessary. I actually have some business to attend to,” Lena states. “I’ll come back for the boxes,” she adds. Lena hears Kara say something as she leaves, but she doesn’t stick around long enough to hear it. The stairs creak dangerously under her feet and, with a spike of anxiety, Lena quickens her pace.

Lena marches across the parking lot as quickly as she can, and doesn’t relax until her car door has been slammed closed behind her. Lena tells herself that she’s going to buy food, but she knows for sure that her main purchase will be from the liquor aisle. 

Lena’s foot is a little heavy on the gas pedal of her Mercedes as she guides it down Main Street, green eyes darting around for a grocery store. It doesn’t take long for her to find it and she parks her car right outside the door.

Her fingers find the locket around her neck as she walks around, ignoring the stares from the locals. It’s clear they’re not used to new people, and  _ that _ doesn’t bode well for the motel at all. Lena grabs a packaged sandwich and some fruit without even checking the labels and heads to the liquor aisle.

Unsurprisingly, it’s not as well stocked as Lena would like, but she spots a bottle of Macallan. Whilst it’s not her drink of choice, Lena’s just happy to find something that she recognizes. She grabs a second bottle, just to be safe, and heads to the cash register.

“You must be one of those Luthors,” the cashier comments. “It’s about time one of you showed your face around here.” Lena swallows the urge to tell the man where he should stick his opinion, and instead forces a smile to her lips.

“Well, better late than never, right?” Lena says, receiving only a disgruntled hum in response. She deserves the attitude, but Lena is in no mood to play the apologetic martyr role today. “Keep the change,” Lena says, wondering if she’ll regret doing that in a couple of weeks time.

By the time Lena gets back to her car, there’s a parking ticket waiting on the windscreen for her. Because  _ of course _ there fucking is. Lena snatches it off her window and crumples it into a tiny ball, discarding it somewhere in the back of her car as she slides into her seat.

Lena sighs heavily, her hand slapping against the steering wheel as she internally curses Lex for putting her in this position. He’d be positively gleeful if he truly knew how much his sister was hating this. Lena sure as hell isn’t going to let him find out.

She’s exhausted when she makes it back to the motel and it’s barely even eleven am. Lena hasn’t even been here for eighteen hours and she’s already desperate to go home. Especially now that she has a parking fine that will take a meaty bite out of her budget.

Lena heaves her grocery bag from the passenger seat and kicks the door closed behind her. She plans on doing the bare minimum today before drinking herself to sleep, whether it’s healthy or not. She can deal with her mile long to-do list tomorrow.

Lena stops short when the path to her door is blocked, her heart leaping into her chest. Her Mother’s boxes are stacked neatly outside her room, accompanied by a small sticky note with a lopsided smiley face drawn on it.

Lena smiles, glancing back towards the reception and spotting a figure watching her from the window.

Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on [Tumblr](https://pleasepassthekangaroomate.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PassTheKangaroo) :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took a while, huh?

Loud yells and screams rip Lena from her dreamless sleep and she immediately sits bolt upright. She blinks heavily, squinting towards the window as the early morning sun stings her eyes. It takes only a second for Lena to realize that it’s not the forgivable kind of screaming, but the  _ fun _ kind. Her startled heart still pounds in her chest, not quite caught up on the fact that nobody is in danger.

Lena swings her legs over the edge of the bed and drags herself to the window, scowling at the sight that greets her.  _ Children _ . Dozens of them, all in matching uniforms, and all using her parking lot as a playground. To make matters worse, Kara seems to the one chasing them and encouraging their screams.

She grabs her black peacoat and throws it on top of her pajamas, grumbling under her breath the entire time. Lena marches to the door and throws it open, her arms folding across her chest as she glares at any child who dares look her way. She waits, steam pouring from her ears, as Kara finally notices her and jogs across the parking lot.

“Sorry if we woke you up,” Kara winces. “I always get a little carried away when the kids are here. I can ask them to keep it down.” Lena, annoyingly, feels her rage begin to seep away and she sighs.

“Miss Danvers, may I ask  _ why _ there are children running riot in the parking lot?” Lena asks. She notices Kara’s gaze briefly drift downwards and Lena is extremely conscious of her Kermit the frog pajamas. She clears her throat, refusing to show her embarrassment.

“The girl guides use the parking lot every month for their bake sale,” Kara says, an easy grin spreading across her face. “Eliza and I usually help them, but she had to run and buy more flour.” Lena pushes her tongue up against her teeth, knowing she’s about to hear something that she won’t like.

“I assume they don’t pay to rent the space,” Lena remarks, eyebrows raised as she stares Kara down.

“No,” Kara states slowly, frowning. “They’re trying to raise money, I’m not going to take more off them,” she chuckles uneasily. “I didn’t think it would be a problem, we’ve been helping them for years.” Kara suddenly looks entirely unsure of herself, and Lena feels a pang of guilt. She watches Kara for a moment, her lips pursed.

“If you can keep them under control, they can stay,” Lena finally sighs. “We’re not going to attract new guests if there are screaming children all over the grounds,” she adds.  _ It’s already going to be hard enough, _ is left unsaid.

“Sure thing, boss.” Kara teasingly salutes before turning to make her way back to the guides.

“Oh, and Kara?” Lena calls her after, waiting for Kara to stop. “Thank you for bringing the boxes to my room,” she says with a small smile. Kara nods,  _ beaming _ at her. She shoots Lena an awkward little wave before jogging back to the kids.

It's becoming increasingly clear to Lena that Kara Danvers is a very hard person to dislike.

Lena spends the rest of her morning calling different companies and contractors, setting up several appointments and offering monetary incentives for things to be put into motion quickly. Her first appointment isn’t until tomorrow, but it may just be Lena’s favorite. When she retires to her room tomorrow evening, she’ll finally have access to Wi-Fi.

Putting her plans into action lessens the weight of the dread that settled into the pit of her stomach when she first arrived. Lena’s actually starting to believe that she has a chance of proving Lex wrong. God, she can’t imagine anything more delicious than that.

The quiet knock at her door makes Lena sigh. She thought small towns were supposed to be peaceful. When Lena opens the door, she barely holds back her groan at the sight of a small child. It’s not that Lena doesn’t  _ like _ children, she just doesn’t know how to act around them, and just being in the presence of one makes her feel anxious.

The little girl in question doesn’t seem to be faring much better. Her tiny hands wring together as she stares up at Lena, which only serves to make Lena feel worse.

“Is everything okay?” Lena asks, hoping her tone sounds as kind as she means for it to.

“Um, Miss Kara is asking for your help,” the girl mumbles. “She sent me to come get you.” Lena’s eyebrows lift and she glances over the top of the child’s head, searching for Kara in the surprisingly busy parking lot.

“Is that so? You know, you probably shouldn’t be speaking to a stranger,” Lena remarks. The girl blushes and her shoulders hike up to her ears.

“Miss Kara said you were a safe person. I wasn’t to talk to anyone but you,” the girl explains. “I can show you where she is!” Lena chuckles lightly, nodding.

“That’s very nice of you,” Lena smiles, beginning to feel a little more at ease. She closes the door behind her and gestures for the little one to lead the way. “What’s your name?”

“Hannah.”

“Well, Hannah, it’s nice to meet you,” Lena states. “I’m Lena.”

“I know,” Hannah shrugs. “Miss Kara told me.” She points towards the back of the motel, “we gotta go there,” she says.

Lena nods, allowing Hannah to lead her across the parking lot towards a small path hidden behind some bushes. Lena winces, staring ahead at the thin dirt track she’s supposed to walk along. It’s encased with overgrown hedges and she imagines it would be pretty eerie to walk down in the dark.

It must have rained recently as her expensive stiletto heels sink into the ground a little. Hannah doesn’t seem to mind the mud and she scuttles ahead, only stopping once she reaches a road. She watches Lena timidly as she catches up to her, seemingly having some kind of internal battle with herself.

“You have to hold my hand,” Hannah shyly murmurs. Lena blinks. “I can’t cross the road without holding a grown-up’s hand,” Hannah adds, the  _ duh _ very much implied.

“Oh! Right, uh, sure.” Lena awkwardly holds her hand out, wincing a little when a very small, but kinda sticky, hand slots into hers. Lena feels awkward, and a little paranoid, as she leads Hannah across the road, waiting for her parents to leap out of nowhere and start yelling at her. Lena imagines it would be a terrifying sight to see a stranger walking with your child.

There’s a row of quaint cottages that Lena hadn’t seen when she first drove through town, and it’s exactly the kind of home she would expect Kara to have. The window boxes are filled with as many flowers that could be possibly packed into them, each flower clashing with the next in organized chaos. It makes Lena smile, and she’s not sure why.

“You don’t have to knock,” Hannah says, tugging on Lena’s hand as she pushes the front door open. Lena is led along a short, narrow hallway and her nostrils twitch at the delicious smells floating through from the kitchen. “She’s here,” Hannah announces, only dropping Lena’s hand once she has stepped into the small room.

“Faster than Amazon prime!” Kara beams, handing Hannah a cookie and ushering her towards the back yard. “Thanks for coming,” Kara says, turning her attention to Lena. Lena looks around at the kitchen, eyes roaming across the pale yellow walls and mismatched appliances. It’s the opposite of what she’d do with the space, but weirdly, Lena doesn’t hate it.

“Hannah told me you needed help, I assumed it was something to do with the motel,” Lena says, being careful to keep her tone light. Kara grins bashfully, shrugging her shoulders.

“Not quite,” she admits. “I could do with a little help baking and I thought you could use a break,” Kara says. “You’ve been holed up in that room for a while.” Lena falters, a blush coloring the tips of her ears as she grimaces. “Aaaand you hate baking,” Kara supplies, sighing. “Sorry, I thought it would be a good idea.”

“Oh! No, I don’t  _ hate _ baking,” Lena frantically stutters out, confused as to why she’s so worried about Kara’s opinion of her. “I just….” she sighs, “I haven’t really baked anything before. I don’t know how much help I would be,” Lena admits. She waits for scorn, watching Kara’s eyes widen and her jaw drop.

“Well now I’m  _ definitely _ glad I sent Hannah for you!” Kara exclaims, her hands clasping in front of her chest. “Now I get to teach you!" Kara’s thrilled tone is almost a squeal and Lena’s blush deepens. She’s suddenly unsure of what to do with her hands, her fingers linking as she wrings them together.

“I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble,” Lena murmurs, embarrassed by the enthusiastic attention. Lena’s only experience with baking comes from watching cooking shows in the middle of the night when she can’t sleep. 

“I’m already baking,” Kara shrugs with a smile. “It’s no trouble at all, unless the great Lena Luthor is scared of getting her hands dirty,” she teases. Lena lets out a nervous laugh, her eyes darting towards the ingredients littered around the counters. “I promise I’ll be nice to you. I’ll even let you eat the leftover cake mix…” Kara dangles the offer with twinkling eyes, seemingly convinced that Lena can’t  _ possibly _ say no to that.

“I’m not sure offering someone the opportunity to catch salmonella is the best way to convince them to do your bidding,” Lena states, the corner of her mouth twitching against the urge to smile.

“It’s against the laws of the universe to be poisoned by cake mixture,” Kara solemnly states. “The fact that you’ve never eaten raw cake mix is, quite frankly, offensive.” Kara holds her hand to her heart, feigning disgust as she stares Lena down. “It’s also all the more reason for you to let me teach you,” she adds.

Lena sighs, throwing her hands up as she shrugs.

“Alright, Miss Danvers, I am your willing student,” Lena remarks dryly. She actively ignores the way her heart leaps at Kara’s  _ thrilled _ expression.

“You won’t regret it,” Kara promises. She disappears into the pantry, re-emerging a moment later with a spare apron. Lena balks, but isn’t given a chance to complain before Kara loops it around her neck. She blushes when Kara disappears behind her to tie the apron, feeling hopelessly awkward and lost.

“I somehow doubt that,” Lena mutters, but there’s no real venom behind her words. In truth, as much as Lena isn’t going to admit it out loud, spending her afternoon with Kara doesn’t sound like the worst use of her time. It’s not often that people choose to spend time with her without having some kind of ulterior motive, and Kara doesn’t seem to have a single manipulative bone in her body.

“You, Lena Luthor, need to learn how to relax,” Kara scolds, pointing a playful finger. “You’re going to leave here in eight weeks with a ton of grey hairs, or completely bald.”

“Well, it runs in the family,” Lena flatly replies. It takes Kara a moment to realize Lena is kidding, but she eventually lets out the musical laugh she had been withholding. Lena allows herself to smile, shrugging lightly. “I’m sure my Mother would appreciate it if I returned looking like Lex.”

“Trust me, you’re a lot cuter than your brother,” Kara remarks, not missing the blush that blossoms across Lena’s features. She takes a mental note of it, but decides not to comment. It’d make Lena uncomfortable and that’s the last thing Kara wants, even if she does think it’d be adorable to see Lena flustered.

“Alright, you’re the boss. What do you want me to do?” Lena asks, stepping up to the loaded counter top.

Kara, as it turns out, is not that great of a teacher. She knows  _ what _ to do, but not  _ why _ , as Lena finds out when she questions the use of unsalted butter. Kara had shrugged, telling her that the recipe requires unsalted, but wasn’t able to explain what would happen if they used salted instead.

Kara doesn’t seem to care, but Lena can’t let it go. She’s not sure why it bothers her so much, but it’s nothing new. Lena  _ needs _ to understand the ins and outs of everything she does, even at the risk of bothering other people. Andrea always used to comment about how annoying the habit was.

“Okay, well I guess this is what Google is for,” Kara lightly states, surprising Lena. She’s not used to people indulging her quirks without first making a disparaging remark. Kara whips her cell phone from her pocket and immediately starts typing, her brow furrowing as she scrolls through the search results.

“It’s okay,” Lena objects. “We’re having fun, I didn’t mean to turn it into a science lesson.” Kara’s eyes flit back up to her for a second and she smiles.

“Don’t be silly, there’s nothing wrong with asking questions,” Kara says gently. “I kinda want to know, too,” she admits with a grin. “Besides, the only other question I’ve had this morning about baking is what would happen if we dropped a firecracker into the mix. I had to check each and every cupcake before I put them in the oven just to ease my mind,” Kara chuckles.

“That is…. terrifying."

“Tell me about it,” Kara nods. “Okay, here… Unsalted is fresher,” Kara reads aloud from the screen. Her eyes scan the reddit response in front of her, unsure of what she’s actually looking for, but not willing to make Lena feel self conscious. 

“We can use salted if we need to, but we’d need to adjust the recipe around it. Oh, did you know the temperature of the butter is important, too? Too cold makes it hard to work with, and if it's too warm we could end up with dense cakes.” Kara pulls a face, glancing at the misshapen block of butter on the counter. “I think we’ve sold a lot of dense cakes.”

Lena grins, shaking her head. She watches Kara slip her cell phone back into her pocket and relaxes. Kara seems so easy going and accepting, and Lena isn’t at all used to spending time with someone like her.

“Thank you for checking,” Lena murmurs.

“Thank  _ you _ for helping. Eliza usually helps, but one of the girls scraped her knee and it was a  _ huge _ deal and she’ll only let Eliza help her,” Kara sighs. “They’re decorating the cakes in the back yard if you’d prefer to help with that,” she adds. 

Lena blanches, instantly worrying that Kara is trying to get rid of her. She  _ knew _ asking the question would make her seem difficult, but Kara seems so different from other people. Her hands clench together, knuckles glowing white from the strain.

“I can do that if you prefer,” Lena mumbles. “You’ll probably get it done quicker without me.”

“Oh! No, I wouldn’t prefer that all,” Kara frantically shakes her head. “If we’re going to be working so closely together, then we should really get to know each other a little better. Consider this a team bonding exercise,” Kara grins. “Come on, we’ll follow the recipe and then make the kids decorate them while we have coffee and steal a few of the leftover cookies."

Despite the anxiety welling in her chest, Lena nods. It’s hard for her to believe that Kara really just wants to get to know her and bake some cakes, but she actively ignores the voice in her head that tells her to leave. 

Instead, Lena throws herself into it with the vigor usually reserved for her work projects. Every ingredient is precisely measured, down to a single grain of sugar, and every one of Kara’s instructions are followed to the letter. The end result is less than perfect, but certainly not terrible for a first attempt, and Lena feels oddly proud of herself for pushing through.

“Nice!” Kara grins at her like Lena has saved the world, causing a blush to seep upwards from her neck. “Aren’t you glad you gave it a go?” Kara asks, wiping her hands on her apron in a way that makes Lena cringe. Lillian would chew her ear off for days if Lena did something like that and Lena finds it strangely endearing.

Lena nods, her head shly ducking even as she curses herself for being so damn awkward.

“Come on, you’ve  _ more  _ than earned some caffeine and sugar.” Lena startles when Kara claps her on the back, but manages to play it off as a weird little stretch. Smooth, Luthor. Real fucking smooth. She opens her mouth to speak, ready to claw back some of her pride, when the door to the back yard opens. An older blonde woman steps inside with a first aid kit tucked under her arm, kind eyes appraising Lena.

“Oh, Lena, this is Eliza. Remember I told you about her?” Kara beams at her adopted mother.

“Of course,” Lena nods, extending her hand to Eliza. “Lena Luthor, pleased to meet you.” She internally cringes at the awkwardly formal tone. Eliza’s hand is warm and soft, encasing Lena’s with a surprising amount of strength.

“I’ve heard all about you, Lena. It’s lovely to meet you,” Eliza smiles. “I see Kara roped you into helping her out, the guides will really appreciate that. Are you sticking around to taste your hard work?” she asks.

“I should probably get back,” Lena says, softly. “I have a to-do list longer than my arm.” She hates how disappointed Kara looks, but Lena knows that people prefer her in the abstract. If she spends too much time with her, then she too will discover it’s a waste of time.

“Of course,” Kara murmurs, her face not cooperating with her attempts to hide her disappointment. “I understand. Well,” she forces a smile to her lips, “I really appreciate your help. You have  _ no _ idea how much time you’ve saved me, those kids can be brutal when you can’t keep up with them,” Kara jokes - a desperate attempt to break the sudden, stifling tension in the small room.

“It was my pleasure.” The words leave Lena’s mouth before she can stop them, the professional facade once again slipping. “Perhaps I’ll see you later. Hopefully I’ll see you again, Eliza.”

“No doubt.” Eliza’s response catches her off guard, the knowing look from twinkling eyes the last thing Lena expected. Lena awkwardly clears her throat and nods polite, almost tripping over her own feet in her haste to leave. The desire to retreat to the safety of her room is almost overwhelming and she sucks in a desperate breath when she reaches fresh air.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket and Lena wishes she could ignore it, but she fights against the urge to do so. Lillian’s name flashing on the screen makes her heart sink - the absolute last fucking thing she needs right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think?
> 
> Come find me on [Tumblr](https://pleasepassthekangaroomate.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PassTheKangaroo)

**Author's Note:**

> More soon.
> 
> Come find me on [Tumblr](https://pleasepassthekangaroomate.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PassTheKangaroo) :)


End file.
